Free Piano Music for Beginners
Wabash Cannonball

Free piano music for beginners Wabash Cannonball is a fun easy solo or duet. This printable kids sheet music comes with a Primo and Secondo part, and the lyrics to Wabash Cannonball. 

free kids sheet music Wabash Cannonball Primo

Please scroll down the page for the download links.

Johnny Cash, singing Wabash Cannonball

Johnny starts singing after about the 30 second mark.

The primo (or solo, if playing without a partner)

In the Primo, the two hands share Middle C, and it doesn't really matter which finger plays the C. The lyrics I have used here are claimed to be public domain.

Regarding the lyrics, I have placed the chorus first as the melody fits the words of the chorus perfectly. 

Move the melody up an octave for a duet

To make a duet out of Wabash Cannonball, the melody or Primo part must be played UP an octave.  This will be obvious to most pianists, but there are some people out there who always think extremely literally... 

Reading the notes

I call these easy pieces in Middle C position "note-reader songs", and I frequently give them even to older students and especially transfer students who aren't used to playing chords.  If you'd like a version of the melody with letters in the note heads, go to this page and scroll down alphabetically...

After kids have learned the melody, I'll have them switch to the secondo! 

They don't have to be able to read all the bass clef notes, they just have to learn the chord patterns.

Learning the secondo

I suggest you get them going on the LH first, then add the full RH triads after the LH is easy.

free piano music for beginners Wabash Cannonball

In Wabash Cannonball, the Secondo chords sound full and vigorous, but they are easy to play once a beginner can make triads in the RH (right hand) - see the second scales & chords that I give my beginners - and can do the LH open chord with the moving thumb ("boogie chords" at my studio).

This piece is FUN

It takes a little bit of practice to get the coordination down, and to jump to the new chord positions fast enough.  But it's fun!  This is the kind of piece brothers and sisters will play at home on their own, just because the contagious energy of the bass part (the secondo) is irresistible.

Wabash Cannonball makes an energetic recital piece, easily playable by most first-year students! 


The links to Wabash Cannonball:


Download Free Piano Music for Beginners Wabash Cannonball melody 


Find Wabash Cannonball melody with AlphaNotes (letters in the note heads) on this page


Download Free Kids Sheet Music Wabash Cannonball Secondo 



First Piano Duets

Kerri:
What a great selection of beginner music!

My young student will be thrilled to be able to play songs she "knows!" Thank-you!

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Cat:
Thank you so much for these resources - I have a small music studio in Johannesburg, South Africa.

My kids love playing these tunes.

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Comments

Do you have a funny story about this music, or does it remind you of something you'd like to share with other readers? Do you have a question? I'd love to hear it!

Please note that all comments are moderated, and will not appear until I have approved them. Also, IF YOU ARE ASKING FOR MUSIC THAT IS NOT IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN, YOUR REQUEST WILL BE IGNORED. That's pretty much any music written in the last 75 years...

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About the Author

Dana Thynes

Hi, I'm Dana!  (Say that like "Anna".)  I'm the owner of Music-for-Music-Teachers.com, and a newer site, SingTheBibleStory.com.

Like some of you, I've been playing the piano since early childhood, and have added a few other instruments along the way, plus an interest in arranging and composing music.

You can find out more about me and the reason for this website at my About Me page.